A requirement of anyone working within an office or other work environment is sufficient lighting to perform necessary tasks. As a result of space restrictions and room required for other necessities in the work environment, table lamps or other movable lighting devices are difficult or unacceptable in an office environment. This is because space restrictions limit tabletop space for lighting purposes. Permanently installed lighting fixtures positioned directly above the working area are therefore utilized in most business office, or other work environments. They allow individuals to be unencumbered by lamps, and the like, on table tops, desks, etc., which are needed as working spaces, or simply do not provide adequate illumination.
Under the shelf task lighting is well known and preferred in modular offices. However, an inherent deficiency of these lighting fixtures is that that the user has little or no control over the area illuminated, or the intensity of the illumination. Furthermore, glare is a major problem resulting from standard task lighting fixtures.
The use of juxtaposed elements which allow for larger or smaller amounts of light to pass through is known in the art; see U.S. Pat. No. 2,186,203, entitled "Optical Filter", inventor, M. Centeno V. However, neither this patent nor any known to the applicant disclose or suggest that such a filter or screening device be utilized for lighting purposes. Specifically, the prior art does not disclose an adjustable lighting fixture of the type disclosed herein. It has been the object of task lighting to provide inexpensive, efficient and adequate lighting for the user. The prior art simply does not fulfill these requirements. The present invention represents a substantial improvement over the prior art by allowing for the reduction of glare; enabling the user to vary the intensity of the light; and allowing for precision in directing the light emitted.
Other problems of prior art under shelf task lighting fixtures include noise from ballasts, dangling cords, and difficulty in mounting the fixtures.